Azores 2018

For the 7th year in a row the World Series returns to the Portuguese Azores, where divers leap directly off the phenomenal rocks as well as the platforms. After a break in Bilbao, the women are back in action alongside the men at the tiny volcanic islet in the mid-Atlantic. Stay with us for all the latest updates from the final two rounds.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:02:06 AM

3rd & 7 37yd

3rd & 7 37yd

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On Friday the first two rounds took place directly from the rocks of this majestic little islet. Rhiannan Iffland was in sensational form, picking up a 10 from the judges for her second dive, and she leads the women's standings. In the men's, Poland's Kris Kolanus leads the way after rediscovering the form that catapulted him to his first-ever victory in the season opener in Texas. Read the full story from Friday's first rounds.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:08:25 AM

The divers are just making their way up to the platforms now, and it's not long until the action gets underway. Here's the schedule for the next couple of hours -

11:30 AM - Women's Round 3

12:00 PM - Men's Round 3

12:30 PM - Red Bull TV LIVE starts

12:35 PM - Women's Finals

12:55 PM - Men's Finals

1:40 PM - Red Bull TV LIVE ends

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:21:21 AM

The women's third round is underway. Four divers down and it's wildcard Antonina Vyshyvanova who has produced the most eye-catching dive so far from the 21m platform. She picks up three 8s and has the lead for now.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:36:10 AM

Lysanne Richard, who only returned from a season long injury in Texas, looks in good shape here. She steals into the lead.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:38:16 AM

Adriana Jimenez, last year's winner here, only earns 6, 6.5, 6.5 and moves into second. Yana Nestsiarava has edged into the lead. Three women left in this third round.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:44:54 AM

Here comes Rhiannan Iffland, who scored only the second ever 10 in the women's competition yesterday. She's looking to get back to winning ways after missing the podium in Texas.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:49:35 AM

And the Australian means business here. She fires into a 24 point lead, sending a message out to the rest of the women.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:50:53 AM

Here are the women's standings after round 3 -

1-

Rhiannan Iffland AUS

223.90

2-

Yana Nestsiarava BLR

199.40

3-

Jessica Macaulay (W)

196.70

4-

Adriana Jimenez MEX

196.30

5-

Lysanne Richard CAN

196.10

6-

Anna Bader GER

181.00

7-

Ginger Huber USA

179.30

8-

Antonina Vyshyvanova (W) UKR

171.50

9-

Jaki Valente (W) BRA

165.50

10-

Eleanor Townsend Smart (W) USA

134.90

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 11:58:06 AM

The men are up now for their 3rd round. Orlando Duque will not be competing after injuring his toe before the 1st round got underway on Friday.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:04:15 PM

Nothing special happening out on the 27m platform right now. De Rose, Aldridge, Guzman, and Maslouski have all dived, and we've seen lots of 5s and 6s so far.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:12:06 PM

Here we go, finally something to get excited about. Andy Jones picks up 8.5s for his Forward 3 Somersaults 2 1/2 Twists. Brilliant from the American!

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:16:17 PM

Wow! Gary Hunt is back! The twisting mental block has been conquered as he nails his Back 3 Somersaults 4 Twists. 8.5, 8.5, 8.5 and the Brit powers into the lead.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:22:37 PM

Michal Navratil and David Colturi also produced some fireworks, and sit second and third respectively.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:24:26 PM

Watch out Gary, 'spinmaster' Steve LoBue is on fire again after his win in Bilbao. A magical Forward 5 Somersaults 1/2 Twist thrusts the American into top spot. Low scores for the final diver Kris Kolanus, and that's the 3rd round done.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:28:50 PM

Men's standings after round 3 -

1-

Steven LoBue USA

297.25

2-

Gary Hunt GBR

292.40

3-

Jonathan Paredes MEX

272.10

4-

Michal Navratil CZE

259.90

5-

David Colturi USA

259.00

6-

Andy Jones USA

256.65

7-

Kris Kolanus POL

256.00

8-

Nikita Fedotov (W) RUS

229.75

9-

Slavik Kolesnikov (W) UKR

209.90

10-

Sergio Guzman (W) MEX

179.55

11-

Blake Aldridge GB

179.40

12-

Viktar Maslouski (W)

177.05

13-

Alessandro De Rose ITA

138.25

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:32:56 PM

1000 spectators have gathered on boats and kayaks to watch the world's best cliff divers in action.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:35:39 PM

The women are into the final round now. And wildcard Antonina Vyshyvanova, competing in her very first event, slices through the Atlantic waters to take the lead. Very impressive from the rookie.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:42:45 PM

Ginger Huber loves competing here, and she moves into the lead with three 7.5s.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:46:17 PM

Anna Bader is nursing an injury, but a nice dive puts her into second place. It probably won't be enough for a podium though today.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:49:17 PM

A brilliant dive from Lysanne Richard is followed up by an even better one from Adriana Jimenez. This is getting really exciting now with three women left. Jimenez leads.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:52:09 PM

Jessica Macaulay is trying to make it two podiums in a row, but that's not quite the score she wanted. Just Nestsiarava and Iffland left now.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:55:29 PM

7s for Nestsiarava lift her into third place. Here comes Iffland with the hardest women's dive in the world. Can she pass Jimenez for the win?

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:58:34 PM

RHIANNAN IFFLAND WINS!

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 12:59:42 PM

Amazing from the two-time World Series champion. She missed the podium in Texas but she has blown her rivals away here in Azores, winning by a massive 30 points ahead of Jimenez. That's the highest ever total score in the women's competition too. Jimenez takes second and Richard third.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:01:42 PM

Here are the women's final standings -

1-

Rhiannan Iffland AUS

324.95pts

2-

Adriana Jimenez MEX

294.30

3-

Lysanne Richard CAN

285.80

4-

Yana Nestsiarava BLR

281.30

5-

Jessica Macaulay (W)

280.30

6-

Ginger Huber USA

255.80

7-

Anna Bader GER

252.40

8-

Antonina Vyshyvanova (W) UKR

248.00

9-

Jaki Valente (W) BRA

241.10

10-

Eleanor Townsend Smart (W) USA

172.90

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:09:13 PM

So, into the men's final round now. Alessandro De Rose and Blake Aldridge have been struggling this weekend, and both go into the water with their hands raised in their final dives. The judges aren't impressed.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:13:30 PM

Wildcards Sergio Guzman and Slavik Kolesnikov can't do much better, and we're still looking for a spark to light up this men's final.

Can Andy Jones get things going here? Not bad...7.5, 7.5, 7 for the American.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:25:34 PM

Magnificent! David Colturi finally rips this final round into life. Three 9s for his difficult Reverse 2 Somersaults 5 Twists, and that's the highest score for an individual dive ever - 145.80pts.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:29:49 PM

Michal Navratil wants some of the action too. Three 8.5s push the Czech into second place behind Colturi.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:32:41 PM

Just 7s for Jonathan Paredes. No podium for the reigning champion today.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:34:09 PM

Just two divers to go, Gary Hunt and Steven LoBue. Can anyone catch Colturi?

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:35:54 PM

Oh, that's so close for Hunt! 8, 8, 8.5 puts the Brit into second place. That's guaranteed him his first podium finish of the season. Now, can LoBue make it two in a row, or will Colturi hold on for victory?

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:39:08 PM

STEVEN LOBUE WINS!

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:40:50 PM

Amazing drama here! LoBue nails his Back 3 Somersaults 3 Twists and pips his fellow American Colturi to victory by just 0.55 points. That's two in a row now for the 33-year-old following three years without a win. The 'spinmaster' has just made himself the favourite for the title this season. Hunt completes the podium in third place.

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:44:56 PM

Men's final standings -

1-

Steven LoBue USA

405.35pts

2-

David Colturi USA

404.80

3-

Gary Hunt GBR

400.20

4-

Michal Navratil CZE

369.55

5-

Kris Kolanus POL

360.55

6-

Jonathan Paredes MEX

358.20

7-

Andy Jones USA

357.85

8-

Nikita Fedotov (W) RUS

292.15

9-

Slavik Kolesnikov (W) UKR

287.80

10-

Viktar Maslouski (W)

280.55

11-

Sergio Guzman (W) MEX

229.05

12-

Blake Aldridge GB

221.70

13-

Alessandro De Rose ITA

189.85

by redbullcliffdiving7/14/2018 1:47:11 PM

What a day it's been in the Azores. Rhiannan Iffland put a slow start in Texas behind her by blowing her rivals away for a stunning victory, while Steven LoBue secured back-to-back wins with another spinning masterclass in the mid-Atlantic. The men and women will be back in action in three weeks' time in Sisikon, Switzerland.